LEWISTON – The call came in just as the paramedic held up the portable radio to show it to the kids.
“A elderly male with chest pains … Code 3.”
Young Farhani Mohamed stopped drinking his punch, carefully moving the cup away from his lips so he wouldn’t smear his painted-on Spider-Man mask.
“What’s Code 3?” the 12-year-old asked.
“That means lights and sirens,” responded Ryan Gauvin, a paramedic for United Ambulance.
Another boy in the ambulance looked confused.
“Why aren’t you going?” he blurted out.
Guavin explained that another ambulance would respond to the call. From 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, that truck had only one place to be: National Night Out.
Held annually in cities across the country, the event gives people an opportunity to mingle with police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other public safety officials. Hundreds showed up at Great Falls Plaza in Auburn and Marcotte Park in Lewiston to take part in their cities’ festivities.
The ambulance was one of several attractions in Lewiston.
Free books and food
Kids lined up throughout the night for the jumping castle, pony rides, free books, a look inside a fire engine, or a hot dog.
Minaya Holloman has always been fascinated with firetrucks and ambulances. As a toddler, she ran to the window whenever she heard sirens.
Now 5 years old, she still thinks they’re pretty cool.
“What’s your name? You knew the fire chief?” her grandfather, Lerry Holloman, said to her as he snapped a photograph of her inside the truck.
Minaya sat still and smiled for the photo, despite the fact that one of her favorite songs, “YMCA” by the Village People, was playing, and she couldn’t wait to dance.
“I like firemen, ambulances and police officers,” she said, before dashing off to shake hands with a giant, inflatable police officer.
In its 22nd year, National Night Out attracts more than 34 million people from more than 10,000 communities across the country. The gatherings aim to generate support for local anti-crime efforts and strengthen police-community partnerships.
Lewiston mom Marnie Morneault took her two sons, 10 years and 5 months, to the event for the first time this year.
“It seems to have really attracted a mixture of the city,” she said. “I think that is wonderful.”
Some people walked to the park from downtown tenements. Others drove from neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city.
They hung out with police officers and firefighters in uniform and plain clothes. Some danced to the latest pop songs. Others sang along to “Redneck Woman” and other country hits.
At the end of the night, they headed home wearing plastic firefighter helmets and carrying kitchen magnets reminding them to call 911 in the event of an emergency.
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